"Paint It, Black
" is a song released by The Rolling Stones as a single in 1966. It also appeared as the opening track of the US version of their 1966 album Aftermath
.
It was written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, though Brian Jones contributed to the song's signature riff. Bill Wyman claims in his books that the song was a collective effort of the group, a 'Nanker-Phelge' one, but mistakenly credited to Jagger/Richards at the end (See below: 'History and composition').
The single reached number one in both the U.S. and the U.K. charts in 1966. In 2004 it was ranked #174 on Rolling Stone
magazine's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
The song title is often given as "Paint It Black
", this variant having appeared on some reissues and compilations. Richards has said that the song was not intended to have a comma in its title, and that this was added by the record label. [1]
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PAINT IT BLACK TICKETS
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History and composition
The song began with Wyman playing organ at a recording session, in parody of the group's former co-manager
Eric Easton, who had been an organist.
Charlie Watts accompanied the organ by playing a vaguely
Middle Eastern drum part; Watts' drum pattern became the basis for the final song.
Brian Jones contributed the song's signature
sitar riff (having taught himself to play after a visit with
George Harrison) and
acoustic guitar, and Jagger contributed the lyrics, seemingly about a man mourning his dead girlfriend. The lead electric guitar and the background vocals are provided by Richards. The piano is played by
Jack Nitzsche.
The bass was also
overdubbed by
Bill Wyman playing on the bass pedals of a
Hammond B3 organ.
Chart performance
| Chart (1966)
| Peak
position
|
| Dutch Top 40 [2]
| 1
|
| Irish Singles Chart [3]
| 2
|
| UK Singles Chart
| 1
|
| US Billboard Hot 100
| 1
|
| Chart (1990)
| Peak
position
|
| Dutch Top 40 [4]
| 1
|
References in popular culture
In recent years, the song has become associated with the
Vietnam War due to its use in the ending credits of
Full Metal Jacket
and the opening credits of
Tour of Duty
. It was also used in 2004 in an episode-ending
montage in the
NBC television show
American Dreams
, when a major character went missing in Vietnam. In the BBC
Top Gear Vietnam special, aired in December 2008 the song is played briefly after an American decorated motorbike is unveiled as a threat to the presenters.
Its other film appearances include
For Love of the Game
and 1997's
The Devil's Advocate
, played during the closing credits. The pilot of
Nip/Tuck
TV show also uses the Rolling Stones' version of the song. The song, as covered by
Gob, was also featured in the film
Stir of Echoes
. The Gob cover also plays over the end credits of the 2004 mini-series of
Salem's Lot
. A French version of the song, recorded by
Marie Laforêt, appears in both
The Devil's Advocate
and the 2006 film
Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby
, and an alternative version appears on commercials for
The Sopranos
on
A&E.
"Paint It, Black" was also used in six video game titles.
Conflict: Vietnam
used the song during the opening sequence, while
Twisted Metal: Black
used the beginning of the song in the opening screen, then the whole song again in its end credits, and inserted into level music throughout moments of gameplay. A version of the karaoke game
SingStar
also features "Paint It, Black". The song is also featured in
Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock
as a playable track, with an extended ending to avoid fading out like the original did (the game makes use of the master track). However, it is unable to be played in Co-op mode, as the bass and guitar tracks could not be separated (this can be heard in single-player mode also; when one makes a mistake, both the guitar and bass cut out). It is also heard playing on some static radios in the
Eve of Destruction total conversion for
Battlefield 1942
,
Battlefield: Vietnam
and
Battlefield 2
. In addition, it was used in the television commercial for
Vietcong: Purple Haze.
Karaoke Revolution Presents: American Idol Encore 2
allows players to sing it and unlock a video of it being performed on
American Idol.
Isaac Brock's indie side project
Ugly Casanova has referenced the song in "Barnacles".
American Idol
Top 6 covered a short version of this for the
Ford music video.
At 0:48 in the song "At This Hour" on the
Spin Doctors' "Turn It Upside Down" album, they sing "You see a red door and you want to paint it black", a reference to this song.
The 1972 song "Thirteen" on the
Big Star album
#1 Record
contains the lyric "Won't you tell your dad to get off my back/Tell him what we said about 'Paint It Black.' "
Prior to being banned from
The Howard Stern Show
,
Crazy Cabbie was often introduced to his own
theme song, a variation of "Paint It, Black", although with lyrics mocking Cabbie.
In the
Stephen King series
The Dark Tower
, "Paint It, Black" is heard by several characters as they pass the same music shop in New York at different time periods.
In
Good Charlotte's song "
All Black", from their fourth album
Good Morning Revival
, the line "...like the Rolling Stones wanna paint it black" references the song.
In the
Dresden Dolls' song, "Jeep", Amanda sings "I see a red jeep and I want to paint it black" in reference to the "Paint It, Black" line "I see a red door and I want to paint it black".
The Second Chapter in Alan Moore's
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Volume III: Century is set in 1966 and titled "Paint it Black".
The song
"Welcome to the Black Parade" by
My Chemical Romance makes reference to it in the line "... so paint it black and take it back..."
Janet Fitch's 2006 novel "Paint It Black" is named after the song; also, the quote before the first chapter is the first four lines of the Rolling Stones song.
[5]
The music website
Last.FM has two skins,
Simply Red and Paint It Black.
The Lee Mead version of "Paint It Black" will be used by Vincent Simone & Louisa Lytton due to represent the United Kingdom at the
2008 Eurovision Dance Contest [6].
The web comic
Order of the Stick, strip #635
[7], is entitled, "I See a Red Robe and I Want to Paint it Black", clearly in reference to this song. The song was also used for the entry scene of the game Twisted Metal.
In “The Christmas Show” episode of “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip,” Studio 60 co-executive producer Matt Albie (Matthew Perry) is complimenting Studio 60 cast member Harriet Hayes (Sarah Paulson) on being cast as Anita Pallenberg in a new movie about the Rolling Stones. He says “…you’re great casting for that…It’s a great part. Brian, Keith, Mick Jagger – they all considered her a musical confidante. ‘Paint It Black’ was all her.”
Credits
- Mick Jagger – lead vocals
- Brian Jones – sitar, acoustic guitar
- Keith Richards – electric guitar, backing vocal
- Bill Wyman – bass, Hammond B3
- Charlie Watts – drums
- Jack Nitzsche – piano
Eric Burdon & War version
Before
Eric Burdon & War's 1970 version reached the charts in Netherlands,
Eric Burdon & The Animals covered it in 1967 for their debut album,
Winds of Change
. The original album version of Eric Burdon & War had a length of 13:41.
Eric Burdon & The Animals performed it at the
Monterey Pop Festival in 1967. This version was cut and included in the motion picture of the festival. They performed it also on the
BBC.
In 1969 the song was a highlight performed live by Eric Burdon & War. After releasing their first album they recorded shortly a second featuring "Paint It Black medley" with a length of over 13 minutes. In 1971 they released it as a single.
Eric Burdon performed it also on his "Hippiefest" tour in 2008.
Chart performance
| Chart (1971)
| Peak
position
|
| Dutch Top 40 [8]
| 31
|
Other versions
"Paint It, Black" has also been covered by many different bands and music artists, including:
References
- Interview
- Nederlandse Top 40, week 24, 1966 (Dutch)
- irishcharts.ie
- Nederlandse Top 40, week 21, 1990 (Dutch)
- Books by Janet Fitch
- http://www.eurovisiondance.tv/event/artistdetail?song=24557&event=1473
- http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0635.html
- Nederlandse Top 40, week 20, 1971 (Dutch)